Cable management bracket

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of the present disclosure include a device for managing cables within a rack. The device may include a first planar surface and a second planar surface connected by a bend line, wherein the first and second planar surfaces form a cable bracket body. The cable bracket body may include a plurality of cable tie-down points. Further, the cable management device may include an attachment clamp which corresponds to respective mount points located on vertically aligned horizontal rails of a rack. The attachment clamp may be configured to securely attach the cable management bracket onto the mount points of vertically aligned horizontal rails.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of electronicsenclosures, and more particularly to rack cable management.

Enclosures, such as frames and racks, have been used to mount and storeelectrical components for many years. Enclosures typically include achassis, which may be configured to mount brackets and shelves. Thebrackets and shelves may be configured to house electronic components,such as audio, video, and network devices or server computers. Theelectronic components housed in the enclosure may be connected to eachother and to other components housed elsewhere via one or more cablesthat need to be routed throughout the enclosure and properly managed.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present disclosure include a device for managingcables within a rack and a method for attaching the device onto therack. The device may include a first planar surface and a second planarsurface connected by a bend line to form a cable bracket body. The cablebracket body may include a plurality of cable tie-down points. Further,the cable bracket body may include two or more attachment clamps whichmay be configured to attach to respective mount points located onvertically aligned horizontal rails.

The above summary is not intended to describe each illustratedembodiment or every implementation of the present disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings included in the present disclosure are incorporated into,and form part of, the specification. They illustrate embodiments of thepresent disclosure and, along with the description, serve to explain theprinciples of the disclosure. The drawings are only illustrative oftypical embodiments and do not limit the disclosure.

FIG. 1 illustrates a view of a cable management bracket separated frommount points located on vertically aligned horizontal rails, inaccordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates the cable management bracket attachment clampsconnected to mount points located on vertically aligned horizontalrails, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 depicts a zoomed-in view of an attachment clamp of the cablemanagement bracket, in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 4 depicts a zoomed-in view of the attachment clamp in the openstate, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 depicts an inside view of the cable bracket body, in accordancewith embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 depicts multiple cable management brackets attached to horizontalrails of a rack, in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 7 depicts a flowchart of an example method for attaching a cablemanagement bracket onto mount points of horizontal rails, in accordancewith embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 depicts a flowchart of an example method for detaching a cablemanagement bracket from mount points of horizontal rails, in accordancewith embodiments of the present disclosure.

While the embodiments described herein are amenable to variousmodifications and alternative forms, specifics thereof have been shownby way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail. Itshould be understood, however, that the particular embodiments describedare not to be taken in a limiting sense. On the contrary, the intentionis to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives fallingwithin the spirit and scope of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to the field ofelectronics enclosures, and in particular to rack cable management.While the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to suchapplications, various aspects of the disclosure may be appreciatedthrough a discussion of various examples using this context.

Current server cable management brackets for interconnecting acollection of servers (herein referred to as a POD) are typicallyaffixed to a rear vertical rail mount of a rack. The POD, on the otherhand, is typically mounted to the front vertical rail of the rack. Saidcable management bracket may organize cables interconnecting serverswithin the POD. Further, the cable management bracket may be mounted onthe vertical rail mount via hardware assembly (e.g., screws, bolts,rivets).

The aforementioned design may be problematic for a variety of reasons.First, because the cable management bracket is affixed to the rearvertical rail mount and the POD is affixed to the front vertical railmount, if the relative distance between a front vertical rail mount andthe rear vertical rail mount changes, so does the required cablingdistance between individual servers in the collection of servers thatcomprise the POD. The relative distance between the front and rearvertical rail mounts may vary from rack to rack, as it is notstandardized by the ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION® (ECIA)(Electronic Components Industry Association non-profit corporationILLINOIS 1111 Alderman Dr., Suite 400 Alpharetta GEORGIA 30005). At aconstant cable length, if the distance between the back of the serverPOD and the rear vertical mounting rail increases, the amount of cableslack decreases, and vice versa. A decrease in cable slack mayoverstress cables, which may affect the longevity and performance of thecables. On the other hand, an increase in slack may lead to cablesdangling into unintended spaces below the POD. Both scenarios may leadto cable management issues such as undesired bending of cables,overheating, obstructed airflow, or difficulty administering changes inthe current rack design.

Further, mounting the cable management bracket to the rear vertical railmount via hardware assembly may be an inconvenience to the user. Forexample, if the POD requires servicing, a technician may have to removehardware assembly, or other attachments, from the bracket (e.g., unscrewthe bolts or screws) to reach the serviceable components. This mayadditionally present difficulty administering changes to the rackconfiguration, as removing hardware assembly may be time-consuming.

Alternative approaches, such as Cable Management Arms (CMAs), attach tomounting features on the rear of the horizontal slides that mount eachindividual server in the rack. The distance between the mountingfeatures on the rear of the horizontal slides and the back of the PODremains constant, as both the slides and the servers are affixed to thefront vertical rail of the rack. Accordingly, this design bypassesoffset distance cabling complications, as the distance remains fixed,ensuring the cable slack remains uniform.

However, because the CMA is horizontally positioned behind the POD, theback of the POD may be obstructed. This may obstruct airflow behind theservers. Further, this may prevent a technician from servicing the backof the POD without removing the CMA. These scenarios present additionaloperation costs for the owners.

The present disclosure relates to a cable management bracket formanaging cables within a rack. The cable management bracket may includetwo or more cable tie-down points configured to mount attachments andprojections onto the cable management bracket in order to properlymanage cabling within the rack. The cable management bracket may includeattachment clamps to facilitate attachment onto mount points located onthe rear of horizontal rails.

Embodiments of the present disclosure may overcome the complicationsnoted above regarding current cable management apparatuses. Attachingthe cable management bracket to mount points on the horizontal railsensures a uniform distance between the POD and the cable managementbracket. Accordingly, the cable slack is also uniform regardless of therack vendor. Further, utilizing an attachment clamp as opposed tohardware assembly or other attachment mechanisms (e.g., welding,soldering, riveting, adhesives) allows convenient attachment anddetachment to the mount points. In the event that the cable managementbracket needs removal, the attachment clamp may be convenientlyretracted, allowing the cable management bracket to be dismounted fromthe rack. Additionally, because the bracket is vertically orientated,the back of the POD is fully exposed. This may reduce the frequency inwhich the bracket requires removal, as the back of the POD will be fullyaccessible for servicing. Lastly, this design may also preventobstruction of airflow behind the servers.

Further, because cable slack may be uniform independent of the rackvendor, the cable management bracket may be pre-bundled with cables. Insome embodiments, the cable management bracket may come equipped withpersonalized cable bundles (e.g., specific cable lengths and routinglayouts). This may be completed prior to final assembly of the cablemanagement bracket. This may allow the cable management bracket to beconsistently compatible with server racks (e.g., as cablingrouting/length may be consistent regardless of the rack vendor).Further, this may allow manufacturing the cable management bracket withcorresponding cabling at a single manufacturing site.

It is to be understood that the aforementioned advantages are exampleadvantages and should not be construed as limiting. Embodiments of thepresent disclosure can contain all, some, or none of the aforementionedadvantages while remaining within the spirit and scope of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 1 depicts a cable management bracket 1 separated from rail mountpoints 20 located on vertically aligned horizontal rails 16, inaccordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. The cablemanagement bracket 1 may include two main components, a cable bracketbody 5, and attachment clamps 4. The cable bracket body 5 may bemanufactured by bending a material (e.g., a piece of sheet metal) at anangle to form a bend line 24. The bend line 24 may define a first planarsurface 2 and a second planar surface 3 on the cable bracket body 5. Thecable bracket body 5 may contain a plurality of flush cable tie-downpoints 6 and protruding cable tie-down points 8. The flush andprotruding cable tie-down points 6, 8 (herein collectively referred toas cable tie-down points) may be used to mount attachments andprojections onto the cable management bracket 1 in order to properlymanage cabling within a rack. The cable management bracket 1 may includeone or more attachment clamps 4. The attachment clamps 4 may attach ontocorresponding rail mount points 20 located on the vertically aligned(e.g., one horizontal rail 16 parallel to and placed above anotherhorizontal rail 16, see FIG. 1) horizontal rails 16. The cable bracketbody 5 may also include one or more guide tabs 22A, 22B. The guide tabsmay include an upper guide tab 22A and a lower guide tab 22B (hereincollectively referred to as guide tabs). Each guide tab may correspondto an attachment clamp 4. Guide tabs may guide the horizontal rail 16into position with the cable management bracket 1 to align attachmentclamp 4 with the rail mount points 20. The cable management device 1 mayfurther include a protruding tab 14 and a contact protuberance 18, toprovide rough alignment between the guide tabs and the horizontal rails16.

The cable management bracket 1 may be attached onto mount points 20located on the horizontal rails 16 by following the dashed projectionlines (e.g., the dashed lines connecting the attachment clamps 4 to themount points 20) depicted in FIG. 1. The mount points 20 may includemount plates 19 and mount slots 21. Features on the attachment clamps 4(e.g., clamp teeth 28 as shown in FIG. 3/4) may be configured to attachto mount slots 21 located on the mount points 20.

Forming bend line 24 on the cable bracket body 5 may be done by bendinga material at an angle. The material of the cable bracket body 5 may bebent at any suitable angle, and may depend on the environment in whichthe cable management bracket 1 will be administered. In someembodiments, the material of the cable bracket body 5 may be bent at anangle of substantially 90° (e.g., between 85-95°). In some embodiments,the material of the cable bracket body 5 may be bent at an obtuse oracute angle. The angle may be selected depending on the functionality ofother features on the cable management bracket. For example, bending thematerial of the cable bracket body 5 at a substantially 90° angle mayconfigure flush cable tie-down points 6 to be flush with surroundingrack hardware so that the cable management bracket 1 may be attached tocorresponding rack hardware. In some embodiments, the material of thecable bracket body 5 may be bent at an obtuse angle (e.g., between 110°and 130°), shortening the distance between the protruding cable tie-downpoints 8 and the back of the servers. This may increase cable slack,which may decrease undesired bending of cables. In some embodiments, thecable bracket body 5 may be bent at an acute angle (e.g., between 50°and) 70°, increasing the distance between the protruding cable tie-downpoints 8 and the back of the servers. This may reduce cable slack, whichmay prevent cables from dangling into unintended spaces below theservers.

Flush cable tie-down points 6 may allow attaching projections andattachments (e.g., fasteners, such as screws or bolts) onto the cablemanagement bracket 1 in order to properly manage cables within the rack.Further, the flush cable tie-down points 6 may be used to mount thecable management bracket 1 onto other hardware (e.g., a bracket, rail,or panel) of rack. The size and shape of the flush cable tie-down points6 may be altered depending on the selected projection or attachment. Forexample, the shape of the flush cable-tie down points 6 may besubstantially circular when using circular projections such as screws,bolts, nails, stakes, poles, rivets, wires, ropes, or any othersubstantially circular projection. In some embodiments, the flushcable-tie down points 6 may be polygon shaped (e.g., a triangle,diamond, square, pentagon, hexagon, octagon). In some embodiments, theflush cable tie-down points 6 may be complex multi-functional shapescorresponding to specific projections or attachments. The flush cabletie-down points 6 may be used to mount components via hardware assembly(e.g., screws, bolts, rivets). In some embodiments, the cable managementbracket 1 may be mounted onto other hardware (e.g., a rail, a bracket,or a panel) of the rack through the flush cable tie-down points 6. Insome embodiments, cable management solutions, such as cable splitters,may be mounted onto the cable management bracket 1.

Protruding cable tie-down points 8 may be configured to receive andretain projections and attachments in order to properly manage cableswithin the rack. The size and shape of the protruding cable tie-downpoints 8 may be altered depending on the selected projection orattachment. For example, protruding cable tie-down points may bewell-suited for tie-attachments (e.g., zip-ties and straps), as tieattachments conveniently loop within the open area inside theprotrusion. However, the protruding cable tie-down points 8 may beconfigured to accommodate any projection or attachment. Any suitabletie-attachment may be used, including VELCRO® Straps (Velcro IndustriesB.V. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY NETHERLANDS Castorweg 22-24 CuracaoNETHERLANDS), zip-ties, hooks, loops, and rings. In some embodiments,the open area within the protrusion may be relatively small, allowingstraps and rings to be securely attached onto the cable managementbracket 1. In some embodiments, the open area within the protrusion maybe relatively large, allowing larger tie-attachments, such as ropes orbungee cords, to be securely attached onto the cable management bracket1. In some embodiments, the open area with the cable tie-down points 8may be large enough to allow the cables themselves to be routed throughthe cable tie-down points 8 without the need of a separate attachment(e.g., without using zip-ties).

The orientation of the cable tie-down points may be situationallyselected. For example, the protruding cable tie-downs 8 may face inwardor outward relative to the surface of the bracket, depending on thecabling solution. Further, the cable tie-down points may be orientatedvertically, horizontally, or diagonally.

Any suitable number or arrangement of cable tie-down points may bedisposed on the cable bracket body 5. For example, in some embodiments,the cable bracket body 5 may include solely protruding cable tie-downpoints 8. Conversely, in some embodiments, the cable bracket body 5 mayinclude solely flush cable tie-down points 6. As depicted in FIG. 1,both types of cable tie-down points (e.g., flush or protruding) may beincluded on the cable bracket body 5. Further, as depicted in FIG. 1,cable tie-down points may only be included on the first planar surface2. However, in some embodiments, cable tie-down points may be includedon either surface (the first planar surface 2 or the second planarsurface 3) or both surfaces. Any suitable number or arrangement ofcable-tie down points may be administered depending on the rackrequirements. It is to be understood that the size, shape, arrangement,and number of the flush and protruding cable tie-down points 6, 8 asshown in FIG. 1 is exemplary, and that any size, shape, arrangement, ornumber otherwise consistent with this disclosure is contemplated.

The cable management bracket 1, and components thereof, may bemanufactured with any suitable manufacturing method. The cable bracketbody 5 may be manufactured using any suitable material, includingmetals, polymers, wood, glass, composites, and ceramics. In someembodiments, the cable bracket body 5 is manufactured from sheet metalfor durability. This allows the cable bracket body 5 to endure shippingenvironments. Further, fabricating sheet metal (e.g., bending, cutting,punching) is relatively easy compared to other materials, such as glass,ceramics, and polymers. The bend line 24 and other bends (e.g.,attachment clamp 4 bends, protruding tab 18) may be formed with anysuitable method, including vise or machine bending.

Cable tie-down points, guide tabs, and other cutouts (e.g., rivet holes)may be formed with any suitable manufacturing method, includingpunching, stamping, CNC machining, cutting, or pressing into the cablemanagement bracket 1. In some embodiments, flush cable tie-down points 6are formed via stamping or punching. In some embodiments, protrudingcable tie-down points 8 are formed by cutting and pressing into themetal. In some embodiments, guide tabs are formed by making cuts andbending the guide tabs perpendicular to the surface they are placed on.

In some embodiments, the cable management bracket 1 may be additivelymanufactured (e.g., 3D printed). In these embodiments, the bracketgeometry may be input into a computer, and the computer may cause anadditive manufacturing machine to produce the cable management bracket1. This may allow the cable management bracket 1 to be manufactured inunison, with no attached components. Further, the cable managementbracket 1 may be manufactured in a single process, as opposed to themultiple processes (e.g., bending, cutting, milling) required fortraditional manufacturing. Likewise, the cable bracket body 5 andattachment clamp 4 may be additively manufactured separately, andattached thereafter.

The aforementioned manufacturing methods may be completed by a computer(e.g., by a processor connected to a memory device that includescomputer code to cause the process to perform the aforementionedoperations). Likewise, the computer may cause another machine tocomplete the aforementioned manufacturing methods. In some embodiments,a user defines the dimension of the cable management bracket 1 based onthe cabling, servicing, and rack requirements and inputs the dimensionsinto a computer. The computer may then cause a machine to make thedesired cable management bracket 1. In some embodiments, a user mayselect the type of rack and server cabling requirements, and configure acomputer to determine the cable management bracket 1 dimensions based onthe specific requirements. Various machines may be instructed tomanufacture the cable management bracket 1, including hydraulic benders,CNC Mills, waterjet cutters, plasma cutters, laser cutters, flamecutters, 3D printers, hydraulic punching presses, and the like.

FIG. 2 is an illustration of the cable management bracket 1 attached tothe mount points 20 of the horizontal rails 16. The cable managementbracket 1 may follow the dashed projection lines depicted in FIG. 1 toconjoin attachment clamps 4 with mount points 20 of the horizontal rails16. As previously mentioned, the guide tabs may provide alignmentbetween the attachment clamps 4 and the mount points 20. Prior to guidetab alignment, the contact protuberances 18 of the protruding tabs 14may provide rough alignment between the guide tabs and the horizontalrail 16. After the guide tabs align the attachment clamp 4 with themount points 20 of the horizontal rails 16, a pair of clamp teeth of theattachment clamp 4 may lock into mount slots located on the horizontalrail 16. The clamp teeth and mount slots may be substantially the sameas clamp teeth 28 and mount slots 21 depicted in FIG. 4 and FIG. 1respectively.

The protruding tab 14 and corresponding contact protuberance 18 mayprotrude out from the second planar surface 3. As depicted in FIG. 2,the contact protuberance 18 may be positioned above each attachmentclamp 4, in line with the upper guide tabs 22A. The contact protuberance18 may be the first component of the cable management bracket 1 toengage the horizontal rails 16. The contact protuberances 18 may providerough alignment between the guide tabs and the horizontal rails 16.

The protruding tabs 14 and corresponding contact protuberances 18 may beany suitable size and shape. Further, the contact protuberances 18 maybe placed in any suitable location. In some embodiments, the contactprotuberances 18 may include a pointed end (e.g., triangular or needleshaped), to contact the horizontal rails 16 at a single point. In someembodiments, the protruding tabs 14 and corresponding contactprotuberances 18 may be positioned in line with lower guide tabs 22B. Inthese embodiments, the contact protuberance may be facing upwards towardthe horizontal rail 16, instead of downwards, as depicted in FIG. 2. Insome embodiments, the cable management bracket 1 may include a pair ofprotruding tabs 14 (e.g., an upper and lower protruding tab) andrespective contact protuberances 18. In these embodiments, the pair ofcontact protuberances 18 may each correspond to a pair of guide tabs. Itis to be understood that the size, shape, arrangement, and number of theprotruding tabs 14 and contact protuberances 18 as shown in FIG. 2 isexemplary, and that any size, shape, arrangement, or number otherwiseconsistent with this disclosure is contemplated.

The size and shape of the guide tabs may be configured to correspond tothe horizontal rails 16. In some embodiments, the guide tabs may bespaced apart so they substantially match the height of the horizontalrails 16. This may allow the guide tabs to align the attachment clamp 4with the mount points 20 located on the horizontal rail 16. In someembodiments, the upper and lower guide tabs 22A, 22B may be identical.In some embodiments, the upper and lower guide tabs 22A, 22B may bedifferent, to match features attached to the horizontal rails 16. Theattachment clamp 4 may be positioned between the pair of guide tabsdepending on the mount point 20 location on the horizontal rail 16.

For example, as depicted in FIG. 1, if the mount points 20 are biasedtoward the top of the horizontal rail 16, the attachment clamp 4 may bebiased toward the upper guide tab 22A. This may allow accurate alignmentbetween the attachment clamp 4 and the mount points 20. In someembodiments, there may only be either an upper or lower guide tab 22A,22B. In these embodiments, the time and cost of manufacturing may bereduced. For example, as depicted in FIG. 2, the lower attachment clamp4 only includes an upper guide tab 22A. In some embodiments, the guidetabs may include a member that curves over the inside of each horizontalrail 16. In these embodiments, the guide tabs may lock the horizontalrails 16 into place in an additional dimension (e.g., left or right), sothey may only be removed by pulling the cable management bracket 1straight back away from each horizontal rail 16. It is to be understoodthat the size, shape, arrangement, and number of the guide tabs as shownin FIG. 2 is exemplary, and that any size, shape, arrangement, or numberotherwise consistent with this disclosure is contemplated.

In some embodiments, the attachment clamp 4 may be configured to berepositionable along the cable bracket body 5. In these embodiments, theattachment clamp 4 may be manufactured with repositionable elements(e.g., slides, guide rails, magnetic attachments) which configure theattachment clamp to be moved along the cable bracket body 5. This mayconfigure the attachment clamp 4 to be situationally adaptable. Forexample, if vertically orientated horizontal rails are separated by arack distance of 4 U, and the attachment clamps 4 are separated by adistance of 3 U, the attachment clamps 4 may be movable along the cablebracket body 5 to align the attachment clamps 4 with the mount points 20on horizontal rails 16 (e.g., move the attachment clamps 4 an additional1 U distance apart from each other so they may correspond to the 4 Udistance in which mount points 20 are separated).

FIG. 3 is a zoomed-in view of the attachment clamp 4 of the cablemanagement bracket 1, in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure. The mount plate, mount points, and mount slots of thehorizontal rails (not shown in FIG. 3) may be substantially the same asthe mount plate 19, mount points 20, and mount slots 21 of thehorizontal rails 16 depicted in FIG. 1. The attachment clamp 4 mechanismmay function (e.g., attach the cable management bracket 1 onto thehorizontal rail) by sandwiching the mount points of the horizontal railbetween the attachment clamp 4 and a back plate 26 of the cablemanagement bracket 1 using a spring back force. The guide tabs may alignclamp teeth 28 of the attachment clamp 4 with mount slots on the mountplates of the horizontal rail. The clamp teeth 28 of the attachmentclamp 4 may then lock into corresponding mount slots.

The attachment clamp 4 may be retracted by pulling on a retraction pulltab 32, which generates a spring back force. The spring back forceoccurs as a result of the attachment clamp 4 material (e.g., sheetmetal, plastic, and composites) biased toward its original shape priorto bending. The retraction pull tab 32 may be configured so a user mayconveniently grip the end of the attachment clamp 4 to retract the clampteeth 28 out of slots on the back plate 26. The mount points of thehorizontal rail may then slide into the open space between the backplate 26 and attachment clamp 4. After the mount slots of the horizontalrail are aligned with the clamp teeth 26, the user may release theretraction pull tab 32, locking the clamp teeth 28 into the mount slots.

The retraction pull tab 32 may be any suitable size, shape, or material.In some embodiments, the retraction pull tab 32 is configured to allow auser to easily grip the attachment clamp 4. In some embodiments, theretraction pull tab 32 is manufactured from rubber, and slips over anend portion of the attachment clamp 4. Further, in some embodiments, theretraction pull tab 4 may be shaped to fit the shape of a finger. Insome embodiments, the retraction pull tab 32 may be manufactured inunison with the attachment clamp 4. It is to be understood that the sizeand shape of the retraction pull tab 4 as shown in FIG. 3 is exemplary,and that any size or shape otherwise consistent with this disclosure iscontemplated.

The attachment clamps 4 may be placed anywhere on the cable bracket body5, so that proper alignment/mounting occurs between mount slots on thehorizontal rail and the attachment clamps 4. In some embodiments, theattachment clamps 4 may be attached to the first planar surface 2 of thecable bracket body 5. However, the attachment clamp 4 may be disposedany other surface on the cable bracket body 5. The attachment clamp 4may be attached to the cable bracket body 5 via welding, hardwareassembly, riveting, brazing, soldering, gluing, or any other means offastening the attachment clamp 4 onto the cable bracket body 5. In theembodiment depicted in FIG. 3, a contact surface 40 of the attachmentclamp 4 contains a pair of rivet holes 42, which extend through thecable management bracket 1 (e.g., align with corresponding rivet holesin the cable bracket body 5). This may configure the attachment clamp 4to be securely fastened onto the cable bracket body 5. Further, in someembodiments the attachment clamp 4 may be fully integrated with thecable bracket body 5, in that they are manufactured in unison.Manufacturing the cable bracket body 5 and attachment clamp 4 in unison(e.g., as a single, continuous piece) may reduce the amount of timerequired for manufacturing.

In some embodiments, the attachment clamps 4 may be replaceable orinterchangeable. In some embodiments, the attachment clamps 4 may beattached to the cable bracket body 5 via a temporary attachmentmechanism (e.g., hardware assembly or lock-and-key attachment as opposedto welding or riveting). This may configure the attachment clamps 4 tobe conveniently removed from the cable bracket body 5. In theseembodiments, if the attachment clamps 4 wear down (e.g., permanentdeformation from metal fatigue), they may be replaced with newattachment clamps 4. In some embodiments, the attachment clamps 4 may beinterchangeable with different variations of attachment clamps 4, toallow the cable management bracket 1 to attach onto varying mountpoints. For example, if the mount points on vertically alignedhorizontal rails have a single slot instead of two slots, the attachmentclamps 4 may be interchangeable with new attachment clamps having asingle tooth.

Multiple bends may be implemented on the attachment clamp 4. As depictedin the embodiment on FIG. 3, a first bend 34, a second bend 36, and athird bend 38 (herein collectively referred to as multiple bends) may beimplemented on the attachment clamp 4. The multiple bends may configurethe attachment clamp 4 to span from the first planar surface 2 to thesecond planar surface 3. In some embodiments, the second planar surface3 may be populated with the attachment clamp 4 features. Accordingly, inthese embodiments, placing the contact surface 40 of the attachmentclamp 4 on the first planar surface 2 may reduce the amount of congestedspace on the first planar surface 2. Further, spanning from the firstplanar surface 2 to the second planar surface 3 with multiple bendsgenerates a spring back force over a longer distance, which may allowfor fine-tuning an appropriate spring back force (e.g., so the springback force is not too tight or too loose).

FIG. 4 depicts a view of the attachment clamp 4 of the cable managementbracket 1 in the open state, in accordance with embodiments of thepresent disclosure. The mount plate, mount points, and mount slots ofthe horizontal rails (not shown in FIG. 4) may be substantially the sameas the mount plate 19, mount points 20, and mount slots 21 of thehorizontal rails 16 depicted in FIG. 1. As previously mentioned, theattachment clamp 4 may be retracted by pulling (e.g., in a directionaway from the clamp teeth 28) on the retraction member 32. In someembodiments, the attachment clamp 4 may be manufactured from an elasticmaterial which generates a spring back force sufficient to squeeze themount plate of the horizontal rail between the back plate 26 and theclamp teeth 28. In some embodiments, the attachment clamp 4 may bemanufactured from a plastic (e.g., as opposed to elastic) material,which initially undergoes a reversible elastic deformation, resulting ina high spring back force. However, any suitable plastic/elastic materialmay be selected, including metals, plastics, and composites. In someembodiments, a ductile metal resilient to metal fatigue may be selected,so the attachment clamp 4 may retain its original shape after repeatedelastic deformation cycles.

In some embodiments the attachment clamp 4 may be designed to easilyinsert into mount points on the horizontal rail, while securelymaintaining the locking mechanism. In some embodiments, the attachmentclamp 4 may include an upward curved edge 30. The upward curved edge 30may prevent the attachment clamp 4 from intersecting with the mountplate of the horizontal rail. Clamp teeth 28 may include an incline edge29, which may slant away from the mount plate of the horizontal rail.The inclined edge 29 of the clamp teeth 28, along with the upward curvededge 30, may allow the attachment clamp 4 to easily slide into mountslots on the mount plate. The mount plate may slide up and down theinclined edge 29, thereby configuring the clamp teeth to lock into themount slots without retracting the attachment clamp 4. The clamp teeth28 may also include a straight edge 31, which locks the clamp teeth 28into the mount slots when pulling the cable management bracket 1 in adirection away from the horizontal rail.

The back plate 26 may include a pair of back plate slots 27, whichcorrespond to the clamp teeth 28. This may allow the clamp teeth 28 tolock into the back plate 26 while the cable management bracket 1 is notattached to mount points. This feature may reduce stress on the clampteeth 28 when the attachment clamp 4 is not in use. Further, the backplate slots 27 may provide additional fastening support between theattachment clamp 4 and the mount points. The clamp teeth 28 may extendthrough the mount slots located on the mount points and lock into theback plate slots 27 on the back plate 26.

Though a clamp feature is depicted in FIG. 4, any other suitableattachment mechanism may be implemented. Other potential attachmentmechanisms include hardware assembly, retractable locking mechanisms,ties, lock and key mechanisms, adhesives, and the like. In someembodiments, there may be two mount plates surrounding the attachmentclamp 4 when attaching the cable management bracket 1 onto the rack. Inthese embodiments, the attachment clamp 4 may include two pairs of clampteeth on opposite ends of the attachment clamp 4, to accommodate bothpairs of mount slots. Further, the two pairs of clamp teeth may beretractable, extending out of the attachment clamp 4 in response to anevent (e.g., such as the activation a button, lever, or switch).

The cable management bracket 1 may further include a second planar layerfold 50. The second planar layer fold 50 may be formed by bendingmaterial of the second planar layer 3 toward the inside of the cablebracket body 5. The second planar layer fold 50 may reduce the amount ofpressure exerted on cabling, by smoothing the cable bracket body 5edges. The second planar layer fold 50 may be sized and shaped dependingon the cabling requirements. In some embodiments, the second planarlayer fold 50 may include slots to separate and organize cabling.

FIG. 5 illustrates an inside view of the cable bracket body 5, inaccordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. As previouslymentioned, the clamp teeth 28 may slide into back plate slots 27 locatedon the back plate 26. The distance between the back plate slots 27 maybe substantially the same as the distance between the clamp teeth 28, toallow the clamp teeth 28 to fit into the back plate slots 27. The backplate 26 may be adapted depending on the type of attachment mechanismused. For example, the size, shape, and number of back plate slots maycorrespond with the shape of the clamp teeth 28. In some embodiments,the attachment clamp includes a single circular tooth. In theseembodiments, the back plate 26 would include a single circular shapedback plate slot 27. In some embodiments, the attachment clamp mayinclude five attachment teeth. In these embodiments, the back plate 26may include five back plate slots. Any suitable size, shape, number, orarrangement of back plate slots 27 may be administered. It is to beunderstood that the size, shape, arrangement, and number of back plateslots 27 as shown in FIG. 4 is exemplary, and that any size, shape,arrangement, or number otherwise consistent with this disclosure iscontemplated.

The cable management bracket 1 may further include a first planar layerfold 48. The first planar layer fold 48 may be formed by bendingmaterial of the first planar layer 2 toward the inside of the cablebracket body 5. The first planar layer fold 48 may reduce the amount ofpressure exerted on cabling, by smoothing the cable bracket body 5edges. The first planar layer fold 48 may be sized and shaped dependingon the cabling requirements. In some embodiments, the first planar layerfold 48 may include slots to separate and organize cabling.

FIG. 6 depicts two cable management brackets 1 mounted on horizontalrails 16 of a rack, in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure. Depending on cabling requirements, one or more cablemanagement brackets 1 may be mounted onto horizontal rail 16 mountpoints. For example, in an embodiment with a POD comprising four 2 Uheight servers (total 8 U height), a single cable management bracket 1may sufficiently manage cabling requirements. However, in server rackconfigurations with two or more POD's, two or more cable managementbrackets 1 may be implemented.

Further, cable management brackets 1 may be placed in any suitablelocation. The cable management brackets 1 may be placed on either sideof the server rack (e.g., left or right), or on both sides. This maydepend on the location of serviceable components within the servers orthe cabling requirements. Though the cable management brackets 1 aredesigned to attach onto mount points of horizontal rails 16, the cablemanagement bracket 1 may also be attached to other hardware (e.g., aside panel, bracket, or rail) on the rack. For example, in someembodiments, the cable management bracket 1 may be bolted onto thevertical rails 46 via the flush cable tie-down points in addition to, orinstead of, connecting to the horizontal rails 16.

Alternatively, a single cable management bracket 1 may span more two ormore pairs of horizontal rails 16. In some embodiments, the cablemanagement bracket 1 may be significantly longer, in that it spans halfor more of the total rack height. In these embodiments, the number ofattachment clamps may be commensurate with the number of correspondinghorizontal rails 16. Further, in these embodiments, the cable managementbracket 1 may be able to serve any number of servers (e.g., two or morePODs or a collection of dispersed servers). In some embodiments, thecable management bracket 1 may be extendable. In these embodiments, theheight of the cable management bracket 1 may be adjusted to fit thecabling requirements, while avoiding unintended space within the rack.In these embodiments, there may only be two attachment clamps on thetotal cable management bracket 1 height, while the extendable lengthcomprises a plurality of flush and protruding cable tie-down points. Anytype, number, size, or shape of cable management bracket 1configurations may be implemented, depending on cabling, service, andrack volume considerations.

FIG. 7 illustrates a flowchart of an example method 700 for attaching acable management bracket onto horizontal rails, in accordance withembodiments of the present disclosure. The cable management bracket,horizontal rails, contact protuberances, mount points, attachment clamp,retraction pull tab, clamp teeth, and back plate may be substantiallythe same as the cable management bracket 1, horizontal rails 16, contactprotuberances 18, mount points 20, attachment clamps 4, retraction pulltab 32, clamp teeth 28, and back plate 26 previously described. Atoperation 702, a user may determine whether a cable management bracketshould be attached to a rack. The user may analyze the cabling,servicing, and rack requirements to determine whether the cablemanagement bracket is necessary. Further at operation 702, a user maydetermine whether the cable management bracket is compatible withhorizontal rails of the rack.

If the cable management bracket is necessary, at operation 704, the usermay align contact protuberances against horizontal rails to roughlyalign the guide tabs with the horizontal rails. At operation 706, theuser may align the attachment clamp with mount points located on thehorizontal rails. At operation 708, the user may pull back on theretraction pull tab to retract the clamp teeth from the back plate onthe cable management bracket. Afterwards, at operation 710, the user mayalign the clamp teeth with the mount slots located on the mount plates.When the clamp teeth are aligned with the mount slots, at operation 712,the user may release the retraction pull tab to lock the clamp teethinto mount slots on the mount plate.

The aforementioned operations may be completed in any order, orsimultaneously. Furthermore, the aforementioned operations may beoptional. For example, in some embodiments, pulling back on theretraction member to release the clamp teeth from the back plate may notbe completed, as if the clamp teeth are inclined, the clamp teeth mayslide into the mount slots without requiring retraction. In someembodiments, the retraction pull tab is retracted prior to aligning themount points with the attachment clamp via the guide rails. Any suitablenumber or order of the aforementioned operations may be completed.

FIG. 8 illustrates a flowchart of an example method 800 for removing acable management bracket, in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure. The cable management bracket, horizontal rails, contactprotuberances, mount points, attachment clamp, retraction pull tab,clamp teeth, and back plate may be substantially the same as the cablemanagement bracket 1, horizontal rails 16, contact protuberances 18,mount points 20, attachment clamps 4, retraction pull tab 32, clampteeth 28, back plate slots 27, and back plate 26 previously described.The cable management bracket may be attached according to example method700 for attaching a cable management bracket onto a rack.

At operation 802, a user may determine whether cable management bracketremoval is necessary. Bracket removal may be necessary to allow atechnician to service components in the back of the servers. Further,bracket removal may be necessary when administering changes to thecurrent rack configuration. However, bracket removal may be necessary invarious other situations (e.g., upgrading rack components).

If a user determines bracket removal is necessary, at operation 804, theuser may prepare cable management bracket removal. Cable managementbracket removal preparation may include unplugging cabling from servers.In some embodiments, a user may want to leave cabling connected to theservers (e.g., if the cables do not need to be removed or for testingpurposes), and cable management bracket removal preparation may includeremoving tie-attachments and projections from the cable managementbracket.

At operation 806, a user may pull back on the retraction pull tab torelease clamp teeth from corresponding mount slots on the mount plate.This may allow a user to pull the cable management bracket straight backaway from the horizontal rails at operation 808, so guide tabs are nolonger proximate to the horizontal rails. Lastly, at operation 810, theuser may release the retraction pull tab to allow the clamp teeth of theattachment clamp to lock back into the back plate slots of the backplate on the cable management bracket.

The aforementioned operations may be completed in any order, orsimultaneously. Furthermore, the aforementioned operations may beoptional. For example, in some embodiments, cable management bracketremoval preparation may not be necessary. In some embodiments, cablebracket removal preparation may be completed after removing theattachment clamp from mount points on the horizontal rail. In someembodiments, a user may not need to pull back on the retraction pull tabto remove the clamp teeth from the mount slots. In these embodiments,the clamp teeth may be angled so they may slide out of the mount slotswith ease. Any suitable number or order of the aforementioned operationsmay be completed.

As discussed in more detail herein, it is contemplated that some or allof the operations of some of the embodiments of methods described hereinmay be performed in alternative orders or may not be performed at all;furthermore, multiple operations may occur at the same time or as aninternal part of a larger process.

Aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference toflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus(systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of theinvention.

The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate thearchitecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementationsof systems, methods, and computer program products according to variousembodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in theflowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portionof instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions forimplementing the specified logical function(s). In some alternativeimplementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of theorder noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in successionmay, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks maysometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon thefunctionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of theblock diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocksin the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implementedby special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specifiedfunctions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardwareand computer instructions.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the variousembodiments. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” areintended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearlyindicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms“includes” and/or “including,” when used in this specification, specifythe presence of the stated features, integers, steps, operations,elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence oraddition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations,elements, components, and/or groups thereof. In the previous detaileddescription of example embodiments of the various embodiments, referencewas made to the accompanying drawings (where like numbers represent likeelements), which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way ofillustration specific example embodiments in which the variousembodiments may be practiced. These embodiments were described insufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice theembodiments, but other embodiments may be used and logical, mechanical,electrical, and other changes may be made without departing from thescope of the various embodiments. In the previous description, numerousspecific details were set forth to provide a thorough understanding thevarious embodiments. But, the various embodiments may be practicedwithout these specific details. In other instances, well-known circuits,structures, and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not toobscure embodiments.

Different instances of the word “embodiment” as used within thisspecification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but theymay. Any data and data structures illustrated or described herein areexamples only, and in other embodiments, different amounts of data,types of data, fields, numbers and types of fields, field names, numbersand types of rows, records, entries, or organizations of data may beused. In addition, any data may be combined with logic, so that aseparate data structure may not be necessary. The previous detaileddescription is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.

The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present disclosurehave been presented for purposes of illustration, but are not intendedto be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Manymodifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skillin the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the describedembodiments. The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain theprinciples of the embodiments, the practical application or technicalimprovement over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enableothers of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodimentsdisclosed herein.

Although the present invention has been described in terms of specificembodiments, it is anticipated that alterations and modification thereofwill become apparent to the skilled in the art. Therefore, it isintended that the following claims be interpreted as covering all suchalterations and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scopeof the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A cable management bracket comprising: a firstplanar surface and a second planar surface connected by a bend line,wherein the first and second planar surfaces form a cable bracket body,wherein the bend line is formed by bending sheet metal comprising thecable bracket body at substantially 90°; a plurality of cable tie-downpoints placed on the first planar surface, wherein the cable tie-downpoints include flush cable tie-down points and protruding cable tie-downpoints; two pairs of guide tabs placed on the second planar surface; twoattachment clamps coupled to the cable bracket body, the two attachmentclamps being configured to attach to two respective mount points locatedon two respective vertically aligned horizontal rails, wherein theattachment clamps are separated by a distance equal to a separationdistance of horizontal rail slide mount points, wherein each of the twoattachment clamps further comprise: a pair of retractable teeth, whereinthe teeth each have an inclined edge and a straight edge; a retractionpull tab; a back plate, wherein the back plate includes a pair of backplate slots which correspond to the pair of retractable teeth; an upwardcurved edge disposed on an end of each attachment clamp; a pair ofattachment points mounted to the first planar surface; and a pluralityof bends, wherein the plurality of bends span each attachment clamp fromthe first planar surface to the second planar surface and are configuredto generate a spring back force; wherein the two pairs of guide tabscorrespond to the two attachment clamps, wherein a first guide tab ofeach of the two pairs of guide tabs is placed above each attachmentclamp and wherein a second guide tab of each of the two pairs of guidetabs is placed below each attachment clamp, wherein a distance betweeneach of the first and second guide tabs corresponds to a height of thevertically aligned horizontal rails; two protruding tabs correspondingto each of the two attachment clamps, wherein each of the protrudingtabs includes a contact protuberance substantially parallel to each ofthe first guide tabs; a first planar surface fold disposed on an end ofthe first planar surface, wherein the first planar surface fold is bentsubstantially 90° towards an inside of the cable bracket body; and asecond planar surface fold disposed on an end of the second planarsurface.